Portable automatic counting device.



R. M. MQGULLOGH. PORTABLE AUTOMATIC COUNTING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, 1913.

1,079,183, Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

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. of the operatives will UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT MARSHALL MGCULLOCH, OF CIFUENTES, CUBA.

PORTABLE AUTOMATIC COUNTING DEVICE.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913. Application filed June 17, 1913. Serial No. 774,117.

1,079,183, Specification of Letters Patent.

the exit doorway 11 is a platform 16 hinged at 17 at its inner end in alinement with the fioor 15. The outer end, however, of the platform 16 is maintained in elevated position with respect to the floor 15 or at an angle thereto under normal conditions by some suitable automatic operating means, hereinafter referred to as the elevating means. According to the illustration, the elevating means comprises one or more counterweights 18 having flexible connections 19 with the outer or elevated end of the platform. Said connections are shown as two in number and having their ends opposite the counterweights connected at 20 to the outwardly and downwardly extending feet of a cross bar 21 extending across said outer end of the platform. The upper surface of the platform is adapted to be brought down into registry with the plane of the floor 15 when a weight is caused to pass thereover, the platform itself entering an opening 22 in the floor, and the feet 20 at such time are adapted to pass down through lateral extensions 23 from the floor opening 22.

At 24. I show any suitable form or type of automatic registering device having a cord or other suitable flexible connection 25 with one of the connections 19 at a point 26. The intermediate portions of the counterweight connections 19 are guided over elevated direction pulleys 27 supported in any suitable manner.

At 28 I show an entrance or return platform having its outer end flush with the platform 13 and having its inner end elevated above the floor 15. The platform 28, however, as distinguished from the platform 16, is fixed or stationary and communicates with the structure platform 13 at the entrance doorway 12.

The operation of the apparatus above described may be briefiy set forth as follows: It being desired to register the number of bags of sugar, bales of cotton or other individual packages or bundles of heavy material which are being handled singly, such articles will be transported in the direction of the arrow 64 outwardly over the hinged platform 16 toward or into the car 14. As each load is brought upon the platform 16, such platform will be depressed out of its normal elevated position by the superior weight of the article of merchandise and its means of transportation, such weight being greater than the effective heft of the coun- To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT M. MoCUL- LOCH, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Gifuentes, Santa Clara, Cuba, have invented a new and Improved Portable Automatic Counting Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to automatic tallying or counting devices, and has reference to apparatus of this character adapted for use and operation in connection with the transfer of separate articles of merchandise, for instance, by trucks or on foot.

Among the objects of this invention, more definitely stated, is to provide a device whereby a person, with or without a truck or cart, or a beast of burden, moving along a certain line of operation, vmay operate upon certain mechanism for the purpose of registering the number of times a certain point or platform is traversed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a means whereby all practical danger of error due to carelessness or oversight be avoided.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the drawing accompanying this specification in which the figure represents a perspective view of the apparatus designed for portability in connection with a transfer means having a platform adjacent a railway track.

The several parts of the device may be made of any suitable materials, and the relative sizes and proportions, as well as the general design of the apparatus, may be varied to a considerable extent without departing from the spirit of the invention hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claim-ed.

In carrying out this invention in a preferred embodiment, but not intending to be unnecessarily limited to the means illustrated, I show a fragment of a portable structure or warehouse 10 having exit and entrance doorways 11 and 12. A platform 13 just outside of said structure communicates in the usual way with one or more cars 14 understood to be located upon railway tracks in proximity.

The floor 15 of the structure may be at any suitable elevation with respect to the platform 13 or floor of the car lL, and lead ing from said structure floor 15 to or through terweights 18. lVhile the platform 16 is being depressed, the cord 25 through its connection 26 will be pulled to operate the register 24. As soon as the weight is removed from the platform, the counterweights will restore the same to its normal position ready for another load and a succeeding register. Assuming that the articles of merchandise are being conveyed upon warehouse tracks, the operatives may pass freely upon the platform 16 at its pivoted end and when the platform is depressed by the weight thereupon, the trucks will pass freely to the platform 13. The empty trucks, however, cannot be readily operated from the platform 13 to the platform 16 because of the normal elevation of the outer end of the platform 16. The direction or line of return, therefore, of the empty trucks will be as indicated by the arrow b over the fixed platform 28, the trucks passing freely thereupon from the platform 13, and the drop from the elevated end of the fixed platform 28 will not be of serious disadvantage. The inner end of the platform 28 being elevated will prevent the careless exit with a load over such platform.

This apparatus has been found to be particularly advantageous in the loading of freight cars having different sizes or capacities; the only practical precaution necessary for the foreman of the work to observe is to keep his men operating along the proper lines.

As herein shown and described, the counting device is portable or movable from one place to another, and for this purpose may be mounted upon wheels or adapted to be transported in any other suitable way. It is to be understood, however, that the device may be connected to a stationary structure or building as distinguished from one which is portable.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a device of the character set forth, the combination with a structure having a floor, an outside platform and a side wall having a plurality of doorways providing communication between the platform and the floor, of an exit platform pivoted at its inner end to the floor, means normally supporting the outer end of the pivoted platform in an elevated position with respect to the floor and the structure platform adja cent one of the doorways, registering mechanism connected with the pivoted platform supporting means and adapted to register the successive depressions of the pivoted platform, and an entrance platform having its outer end adjacent the other doorway and in alinement with the structure platform and having its inner end elevated above the platform floor, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2-. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a building having a floor, a side wall having a plurality of doorways and an exterior platform, said floor having an opening therein with lateral extensions, an exit platform having its inner end flush with the floor and adapted to {ill said floor opening, counterweight inans connected to the outer end of the exit platform and serving to maintain the outer end thereof adjacent the exit doorway in an elevated position with respect to the floor and exterior platform, the connections between the counterweight means and platform being through a cross bar extending laterally from the outer end of the exit platform and operating through the lateral extensions of the floor opening, registering mechanism connected to the counterweight means and adapted to register each depression of the exit platform, and a return platform having its outer end adjacent the other doorway and substantially flush with the exterior platform and having its inner end within the building and elevated above the floor, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT MARSHALL Mo CU llLOOlL \Vitnesses Franco V. Pixo, SILVIO M. CUiiLLor.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

